(78578) Donpettit Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 14 September 2002 by R. Matson at Palomar.
Donald R. Pettit (b. 1955) flew on STS-113 to the International Space Station, where he spent over 5 1/2 months as science officer on Expedition 6. An avid amateur astronomer, Pettit recorded dozens of astrophotographs from ISS, most notably numerous 30-second and 60-second exposures of (4) Vesta.Naming citation (20040928/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Donpettit is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Donpettit is 2.48 au from the Sun and 2.90 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 78578 |
| Provisional designation | 2002 RM233 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.62 |
| Orbital period | 4.14 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.58 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.48 – 2.68 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0394 |
| Inclination | 3.04° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.46 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Donald
- (2956) Yeomans
- (4794) Bogard
- (6107) Osterbrock
- (6478) Gault
- (6688) Donmccarthy
- (8875) Fernie
- (9122) Hunten
- (9177) Donsaari
- (9295) Donaldyoung
- (9448) Donaldavies
- (11267) Donaldkessler
- (11419) Donjohnson
All asteroids named after someone called Donald
Also discovered on 14 September 2002
- (113355) Gessler
- (127477) Fredalee
- (132903) Edgibson
- (142368) Majden
- (142369) Johnhodges
- (149243) Dorothynorton
- (149244) Kriegh
- (163470) Kenwallis
- (203773) Magyarics
- (232306) Bekuska
- (353409) Onaka
More named asteroids discovered by R. Matson
- (78432) Helensailer
- (84095) Davidjohn
- (84224) Kyte
- (84225) Verish
- (99905) Jeffgrossman
- (112900) Tonyhoffman
- (113355) Gessler
- (132903) Edgibson
- (132904) Notkin
- (142368) Majden
- (142369) Johnhodges
- (149243) Dorothynorton
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